


Patience Has Its Limits

by books_actually



Category: Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears (2020), Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries
Genre: Angry Aunt P, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Gen, Post-Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-04
Updated: 2020-09-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:53:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26285977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/books_actually/pseuds/books_actually
Summary: Her niece was going to be on the receiving end of her fury and if Jack Robinson had anything to do with these delays and absences, as she suspected he had, he would listen to what she had to say too.
Relationships: Jack Robinson & Prudence Stanley, Phryne Fisher & Prudence Stanley, Phryne Fisher/Jack Robinson
Comments: 12
Kudos: 89





	Patience Has Its Limits

Prudence Stanley looked at the clock on the mantel and sighed. Her niece was half an hour late, again, and had not even bothered to send a message or make a telephone call to warn her aunt. Lunch was getting cold, but the girl’s impertinence was making all her hunger disappear. It was unacceptable. She was late for the third time if we only considered the present week. Always because of some robbery or murder or whatever current case with her Inspector.

As an Honourable Lady, she should oblige to her social duties regardless of her activities and especially if the social duty was a lunch at her aunt’s home. But nowadays, having returned to Australia a month ago, after her desert wanderings with Inspector Robinson, she seemed to only have eyes for him and forgot any other social commitments. Phryne was lovesick, Mrs Stanley diagnosed. She was incredibly happy for her niece and very fond of the Inspector, but patience has its limits.

Her niece was going to be on the receiving end of her fury and if Jack Robinson had anything to do with these delays and absences, as she suspected he had, he would listen to what she had to say too.

Having made up her mind, Prudence abandoned the armchair in which she had been sitting in her parlour and went to the hallway. There, she encountered her butler, to whom she asked for Albert. He arrived when she was putting on a brown hat that matched the brown and pink dress she was wearing. Ready to leave, she requested him to take her to Wardlow.

The ride to The Esplanade was calm but it did nothing to improve her spirit, the woman was still furious. When the car came to a stop, she thanked Albert and gave him a tip before exiting.

She adjusted her hat, took off her gloves and opened the gate. She walked up the path and knocked at the front door. According to Mr Johnson, Dorothy was away for the weekend with her husband (their last holiday before the arrival of the newborn), as to Mr Butler, he was visiting his sick sister in Adelaide. No one answered, as she expected, which meant that Phryne was probably still asleep, despite being late morning.

Mrs Stanley opened her black purse and from an inside pocket retrieved a key. It was the spare key of 221B The Esplanade that she had been given to use in case of emergency. The occasion was not really an emergency but if her niece liked so much to push and pass boundaries, maybe this time Prudence also had the right. She unlocked the door and stepped inside. On the coat stand laid her niece’s beige jacket next to the Inspector’s brown fedora and trench coat. Her suspicions were correct then.

“Phryne?” – She called but got no answer, she closed the door and carried on to the staircase. – “Phryne?” – She insisted, raising her voice but the house was quiet, there was no sound at all.

She climbed the stairs and walked down the corridor until she was at the bedroom door. She knocked and called but once more there was no answer. At this point, Prudence got concerned, could she be ill or just sleeping heavily? And what about the Inspector? He must be at home…

She knocked again and tentatively opened the door. The scene in front of her was an asleep Phryne with her arm stretched over a snoring Inspector Robinson. She could not judge the lack of propriety of it though, she was meddling in her niece’s private space. Well, at least they were dressed, she with a peach silk pyjama and he with a blue one. They looked peaceful and made quite an endearing couple, she admitted to herself, but it was more than time for them to wake up!

“Phryne! Inspector!”

“What…” – The man was between reality and dream. – “Love, I’m dreaming with your aunt…”

“Me too…” – Miss Fisher murmured, her eyes still shut and snuggled closer to her partner.

“You are not dreaming!” – Prudence Stanley declared firmly, crossed the room, and pushed the curtains aside. – “It is way past an acceptable hour to still be asleep. Wake up, both of you!”

The couple were startled by this and rapidly regain consciousness, while their eyes adjusted to the change of lightening. They sat straight, facing the woman who had just invaded their space.

“Aunt Prudence, what are you doing here?!” – Phryne asked exasperated.

“Mrs Stanley?!” – Jack Robinson had no idea of what the hell was going on and he was not sure if he wanted to find out.

“You know what time it is? Of course, you don’t. You were supposed to meet me for lunch. I do worry about you, girl, no matter what you think of me.”

Phryne combed her hair with her fingers, while Jack stifled a yawn.

“Oh, I am sorry, Aunt P. I didn’t forget but last night we went out with Jack’s cousin and his wife and came home late…”

The apology was not enough for the older woman.

“You always have an excuse! I have barely seen you since you came back to Australia. If you are going to cancel your commitments with me, the least you can do is to be polite and warn me.”

Meanwhile, Jack Robinson was laying against a pillow, quietly observing the exchange between the two women, and hoping he would not be called to take sides in this matter.

“I really am sorry” – Miss Fisher continued. – “Since we came back, everything has been chaotic with the things we have to catch up with and the progress in our relationship. I promise I will try not to fail you.”

Phryne smiled at her and Prudence finally dropped her arguments.

“Very well, my dear girl. Next week, you are accompanying me to the Hospital’s Charity Board luncheon.” – Mrs Stanley felt that she had won the battle and moved to the door, ready to leave. – “And since you are part of the family, I expect your presence as well, Inspector.”

The door clicked behind her and silence fell in the room. The Lady Detective sighed and sank back into the satin pillows and sheets while the Inspector stayed sitting, looking at the closed door with a furrow on his brow. They needed some time to process everything they had just been through until he finally broke the silence, turning to her and commenting:

“Did your aunt just give us her blessing?”

“I… Well, yes… She did!”

They both stared at the void for a moment, before looking at each other again. Miss Fisher’s gaze softened, and she declared:

“I never really cared for Aunt Prudence’s approval or anyone else’s, but… it is nice to know that she supports our relationship.”

“It is… even if that support comes in the form of an invitation to a dreadful luncheon. Do you think the food will be good?”

She rolled her eyes at his question; the man’s hunger was infinite.

“I don’t know, Jack!” – She feigned annoyance. – “One thing is for sure, though: next week, we are arriving early!”


End file.
